La Tua Cantante
by FemaleChauvinist
Summary: On a field trip with her third grade class, Nessie encounters a blood-scent that makes her thirstier than she's ever been before…and all she wants is her Daddy.


**Disclaimer:** While the attempt has been made to be medically accurate, some artistic license has been taken, and statements made by Carlisle and other medical personnel are not to be regarded as authoritative.

Recognizable characters and plotlines are the property of Stephenie Meyer; all original characters and story © 2017 FemaleChauvinist.

 _Do not post without permission. Do not copy/print without including the above disclaimer in its entirety._

 **A/N: The date of this story is correct for my alternate history, as described in my profile. I was homeschooled and never went to public school, so please forgive any errors in regard to school policy. Barbie**

 _Fall 2007_

 _Nessie two A/E eight, claiming eight, third grade_

 **Nessie**

It was a field trip day; the whole third grade class had gotten on the school bus with our teacher, Mrs Gerard, and three mothers who had agreed to help chaperone.

"Have you ever been to a farm before, Nessie?" Carly Everett demanded, bouncing excitedly in the seat beside me.

I shook my head; Bree had a horse, but this was a dairy farm, where they would show us how they milked the cows. In class that morning we had talked about all the different things that were made from milk. We were supposed to get free ice cream at the end; hopefully no one would notice if I didn't eat any.

We all piled out of the bus at the farm and trooped up the path to the barns. The farmer met us there, a large man the teacher introduced as George Harrison.

I was at the back of the group with Carly, and at first I didn't notice anything. But then a gentle breeze wafted his scent toward me, and my throat burst into flames. I was almost ready to leap across the group and take him down, but with the last shred of my control, I clenched my fists. _No! If Daddy could resist — and he's full vampire —_

But Daddy had had one advantage I didn't; he could stop breathing. I could hold my breath longer than most humans could, but I did need to breathe.

"Nessie?" Mrs Everett asked anxiously. "Do you feel all right?"

I shook my head wordlessly.

"Carly, go get Mrs Gerard," Mrs Everett said in a low voice.

When the teacher arrived, she squatted in front of me, her hands on my arms. "Is it your stomach, Nessie?"

"Yes," I whispered; that was close enough.

"Would you like to go back to the bus and wait for the rest of us?"

I nodded wordlessly.

Mrs Gerard stood. "Go back with her, Charlene," she told Mrs Everett. "Call me if you think we should contact her parents."

Mrs Everett reached for my hand, but I was already gone, running for the bus at what would barely pass as human speed. My thoughts sounded in time to my feet — _If Daddy can do it, I can do it. If Daddy can do it, I can do it._

I reached the bus and leaned against it, panting and trembling as I pulled my phone out of my pocket and dialed Daddy's number. "Daddy," I gasped, not even waiting to hear him answer.

"Nessie, what's wrong?"

" _La tua cantante_ ," I whispered.

"Nessie. Did you —?"

"No — Mrs Gerard thought I was sick — I ran back to the bus — but I _want_ him, Daddy!"

"Shh, Nessie." His voice was soothing, comforting. "Just hang on, sweetheart. I know it isn't easy, but try to think about something else. I'll be there in ten minutes."

"Hurry, Daddy," I whimpered. I shut my phone, clutching it in trembling fingers as Mrs Everett jogged up. "Nessie! Did you throw up, honey?"

I shook my head. _If Daddy can do it, I can do it._

She reached for my shoulder to guide me. "Come on into the bus and lie down."

I curled up on one of the seats, squeezing my eyes shut and trying not to think of the thirst. _If Daddy can do it, I can do it. If Daddy can do it, I can do it. If Daddy can do it, I can do it._

It probably took Daddy less than ten minutes to get there, but it felt like an eternity. Finally I heard his car pull up outside, and the sound of the car doors. Mrs Everett went to the door of the bus to see who was there, but I darted past her and jumped from the top step of the bus into Daddy's arms, wrapping my arms around his neck and burying my face in his shoulder. _If Daddy can do it, I can do it, if Daddy can do it, I can do it, if Daddy can do it, I can do it…_

The frantic cycle of my thoughts was bordering on hysteria; Daddy gently stroked my hair as he held me in a fierce embrace that wouldn't let me give in. "Shh, Nessie, it's all right; I have you; I won't let you go. Shh, baby, it's all right."

"I'm sorry," Mrs Everett said slowly. "I don't believe I know you…?"

"Edward Masen," he said, looking up but still stroking my hair. "I'm Nessie's uncle, and this is her adopted sister, Bella Cullen."

"I see…did Mrs Gerard call you?"

"Nessie did," Daddy said quietly. "Shh, Nessie, you're fine now; it's all right."

 _Don't let me go, Daddy!_

"No, sweetheart, I won't." He brushed a kiss on my hair before looking up again. "Would it be all right if we took Nessie home?"

"I think normally the parents have to pick up a child," Mrs Everett said doubtfully.

"Our names are on her permission slip," Daddy told her.

"Well, you'll have to talk with Mrs Gerard about it."

"Nessie," Daddy said softly. "Will you stay with Momma —?"

"Unnhh!" I whimpered, tightening my arms around his neck; if he had been human I would have been strangling him by now. Momma loved me, but she had never experienced _la tua cantante_ ; she couldn't understand…

"Shh, Nessie," Daddy murmured. He turned to Momma, murmuring something I didn't even try to catch.

Momma left with Mrs Everett, and Daddy carried me to sit on the steps of the bus, humming my special lullaby. I slowly relaxed, knowing I didn't have to fight anymore; Daddy wouldn't let me give in.

 **oOo**

 **Bella**

Nessie whimpered, clutching at Edward's neck; it was obvious she wasn't going to leave him. He turned to look at me. "Bella, I can't take her back there." Of course not.

 _I'll go,_ I told him silently.

He flashed me a quick smile of thanks as he carried Nessie to sit on the bus steps.

I was ready to stop breathing at a moment's notice as I followed Mrs Everett to the group of children. I understood that _la tua cantante_ was different for everyone, but Nessie was my daughter; maybe the same scent would affect us both. And I had smelled extra good to more vampires than just Edward… I was glad he wasn't able to hear my thoughts; he would never have let me come alone, and he needed to stay with Nessie.

Mrs Gerard came to meet us, and Mrs Everett explained in a low voice, "Nessie called her uncle and sister; they want to know if they can take her home. The uncle doesn't look any older than the sister," she added, so softly that I was sure she didn't realize I could hear.

Mrs Gerard pursed her lips. "I see…and what's your name?"

"Bella Cullen."

"Well, Bella, it's school policy that only a parent or guardian may pick up a child early."

"But Carlisle designated us as emergency contacts on her permissions slip," I pointed out.

Mrs Gerard opened the folder, finding the slip and reading Carlisle's note. She nibbled at her lip, and I stopped breathing, knowing how easy it would be to draw blood. "How old are you?" she asked finally.

"Eighteen."

She sighed. "Well, it's highly unusual, but her father _is_ quite explicit. Very well. Just sign here, please."

I took the pen she handed me and signed beside Nessie's name on the clipboard. "Thank you."

"Mm. I wish I felt better about this…"

 **oOo**

 **Nessie**

As Momma approached the bus, Daddy got smoothly to his feet. He didn't need to ask what the answer had been; Mrs Gerard's thoughts had been well within his range. He reached into his pocket for his keys, but tossed them lightly to Momma. I was surprised; it wasn't often that Momma drove when Daddy was in the car. He got impatient with her driving because she wouldn't go more than fifteen or twenty miles per hour over the speed limit.

But now Daddy slid into the back seat with me, shifting me to sit on his lap with my arms still clinging to his neck. He hadn't stopped humming; I was relaxed against him now, though my throat still burned with thirst.

When we reached the house, Daddy got out and gently set me on my feet. I slid my hand into his, pressing against his side. "Go get changed, Nessie," he told me. "You and I are going hunting."

I blinked up at him. "Hunting?"

"Yes." He smiled grimly. "Don't tell me you're not thirsty, Nessie."

"It's not the same," I whispered.

"I know," he agreed quietly; I knew that he _did_ know. "But trust me, it's better than nothing. Go on, now."

I left his side reluctantly, and changed quickly out of my school clothes. When I came down the stairs, Daddy was waiting, dressed, like me, for hunting. "All set?"

I nodded, grabbing his hand again. Daddy swooped me up and perched me on his shoulders; I leaned forward to hang onto his neck as he ran like the wind into the woods.

 **oOo**

Daddy was right; hunting _did_ help. As we returned to the house, I no longer wanted to run straight back to that farm and sink my teeth into Mr George Harrison's flesh. "And you don't ever have to see him again," Daddy had reminded me.

I thought of Daddy, sitting beside Momma every day, and shuddered. I was only half vampire, but I didn't see how he had managed _that_.

Daddy cocked his head as we got closer to the house. "Carlisle's home," he told me; "he wants to see you."

"Does he know?"

"Yes; Momma told him."

"Is he…mad at me?" I asked in a small voice.

Daddy squatted in front of me and put his hands on my arms. "No. In the first place, Nessie, you didn't do anything wrong. And even if you had, he's never gotten mad when any of the rest of us slipped up. He's a vampire, too, Nessie; he understands." *****

I knew Papa was a vampire, but it had always seemed as if he must be somehow different from the others, to be able to be around blood without being thirsty. Still, now that I thought about it I really couldn't remember him ever getting mad about anything.

"Especially not at you, Nessie," Daddy added, standing up and taking my hand.

"I'm spoiled," I said, grinning up at him.

Daddy chuckled. "Fortunately for us, you're too sweet to spoil."

I giggled and wrapped my arms around his waist before skipping up the lane to the big house.

Though I lived in the smaller house with Momma and Daddy, the big house was home, too, and I skipped inside without knocking. I guessed where Papa would be and ran up the stairs to his study. The door stood open; Papa heard me coming and held out his arms with a smile. I jumped into his lap, wondering how I could have thought he might be mad at me.

"I'm proud of you, Nessie," he said, his voice warm as he wrapped his arms around me.

I snuggled against him happily. "It was hard," I admitted.

"I know."

Something about his voice made me look up into his face, remembering what Daddy had said about Papa being a vampire, too. "Papa, did you ever…?" I didn't finish, but he knew what I was asking.

"Once," he said quietly.

I was sure it was Mama Esme; I knew at least that he had never killed a human, but still I had to ask. "Did you…bite her?"

He shook his head. "No." He hesitated, as if unsure how much he should tell me. "But it was when I still had to concentrate on my control around human blood; I didn't trust myself to perform the surgery she needed, and there was no other doctor."

"She died?" I whispered.

Papa sighed deeply. "Yes, Nessie. She died."

"But what about Mama Esme?" I demanded. "Wasn't _she_ your _la tua cantante_?"

Papa was thoughtful for a moment. "I came closer to losing my control when I changed her than I did for any of the other three. Even as a human, her scent was wonderful…but it didn't make me burn with thirst. No, Nessie, I can't say that Esme was my _la tua cantante_."

I stared at him, hurt in my eyes; it was as if he had betrayed Mama Esme somehow. I put my hand on his face, letting him see the feelings I didn't have words to express.

"No, Nessie," Papa said softly. "You know your parents' story, so you associate _la tua cantante_ with love and romance, but it really has nothing to do with either — which I think you must know. You didn't want to marry the man this afternoon, did you?"

"He was ten times my age!" I protested.

"And you don't especially want to drink Jacob's blood, do you?"

I stared at him in shock. "Of course not!" Such a thought had never even entered my mind. "But then what about Daddy?"

Papa smiled, love and pride for my father shining in his eyes. "Of all the vampires who have ever experienced _la tua cantante_ , Nessie, I think your father is probably the only one who actually married his 'singer.' Most of the time…" He shrugged. "Well, most of the time, there's no 'singer' left alive to marry."

I shuddered, and Papa gently cupped my chin in his hand, fixing his gaze on mine. "Renesmée, the romance of your father's story isn't that your mother was his _la tua cantante_ and he loved her because of it; it's that she was his _la tua cantante_ …and he loved her anyway."

The End

 *** Illustration for this scene can be found at femalechauvinist . deviantart . com** _[slash]_ **art** _[slash]_ **Reassuarance-711790288**

 _I proofread all my stories at least once before posting, but if you see any mistakes I might have missed, please let me know!_

 _Please note that I have internet access only once a week, and may not have time to respond to all reviews/messages. If you have questions regarding my Twilight alternate history, check my profile first to see if they're answered there. Thanks for your understanding! Barbie_


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